Dogs leap the hatch, and all are fled. Do de, de, de. Sessa! Come, march to wakes and fairs and market-towns. Poor Tom, thy horn is dry. LEAR. Then let them anatomize Regan; see what breeds about her heart. Is there any cause in Nature that makes these hard hearts? [to EDGAR.] You, Sir, I entertain for one of my hundred; only I do not like the fashion of your garments: you will say they are Persian attire; but let them be chang’d.

80

KENT. Now, good my Lord, lie here and rest awhile.
LEAR. Make no noise, make no noise; draw the curtains:
so, so, so: we'll go to supper i' the morning: so, so, so.
FOOL. And I'll go to bed at noon.

Re-enter GLOUCESTER.

GLOU. Come hither, Friend; where is the King my
master?

KENT. Here, Sir; but trouble him not; his wits are gone.
GLOU. Good Friend, I pr'ythee, take him in thy arms;
I have o'erheard a plot of death upon him:
There is a litter ready; lay him in 't,

And drive towards Dover, Friend, where thou shalt
meet

Both welcome and protection. Take up thy master:
If thou should'st dally half an hour, his life,
With thine, and all that offer to defend him,

Stand in assured loss: take up,

take up;

And follow me, that will to some provision

Give thee quick conduct.

KENT.

Oppressed nature sleeps.

This rest might yet have balm'd thy broken sinews,

Which, if convenience will not allow,

90

Stand in hard cure. [to the Fool.] Come, help to bear

ACT III

Sc. VI

ACT III EDG. When we our betters see bearing our woes,
We scarcely think our miseries our foes.

Sc. VI

Who alone suffers suffers most i' the mind,
Leaving free things and happy shows behind;
But then the mind much sufferance doth o'erskip,
When grief hath mates, and bearing fellowship.
How light and portable my pain seems now,

When that which makes me bend makes the King bow
He childed as I father'd! Tom, away!

Mark the high noises; and thyself bewray,

ΙΙΟ

When false opinion, whose wrong thought defiles thee,
In thy just proof repeals and reconciles thee.
What will hap more to-night, safe 'scape the King!
Lurk, lurk.

[exit.

SCENE VII. GLOUCESTER'S Castle.

Enter CORNWALL, REGAN, GONERIL, EDMUND,
and Servants.

CORN. Post speedily to my Lord your husband; shew
him this letter: the army of France is landed. Seek
out the traitor Gloucester.

REG. Hang him instantly.

GON. Pluck out his eyes.

[Exeunt some of the Servants.

CORN. Leave him to my displeasure. Edmund, keep you our sister company: the revenges we are bound to take upon your traitorous father are not fit for your beholding. Advise the Duke, where you are going, to a most festinate preparation: we are bound to the like. Our posts shall be swift and intelligent betwixt us. Farewell, dear Sister; farewell, my Lord of Gloucester.

Enter Oswald.

How now! where's the King?

Osw. My Lord of Gloucester hath convey'd him hence.
Some five or six-and-thirty of his knights,

Hot questrists after him, met him at gate;
Who, with some other of the Lord's dependants,

12

Are gone with him towards Dover, where they boast

ACT III

Sc. VII

To have well-armed friends.
CORN.
Get horses for your mistress.
GON. Farewell, sweet Lord, and Sister.
CORN. Edmund, farewell.

20

[Exeunt GONERIL, EDMUND, and Oswald.
Go seek the traitor Gloucester,

Pinion him like a thief, bring him before us.

[Exeunt other Servants.

Though well we may not pass upon his life
Without the form of justice, yet our power
Shall do a courtesy to our wrath, which men

May blame but not control. Who's there? the traitor?

Enter GLOUCESTER, brought in by two or three.

REG. Ingrateful Fox! 'tis he.

CORN. Bind fast his corky arms.

GLOU. What mean your Graces ? Good my Friends, consider

You are my guests: do me no foul play, Friends. CORN. Bind him, I say.

REG.

30

[Servants bind him.

Hard, hard. O filthy Traitor!

GLOU. Unmerciful Lady as you are, I'm none.

CORN. To this chair bind him. Villain, thou shalt find

[REGAN plucks his beard.

GLOU. By the kind Gods, 'tis most ignobly done

To pluck me by the beard.

REG. So white, and such a traitor!

GLOU.

Naughty Lady,

These hairs, which thou dost ravish from my chin,
Will quicken, and accuse thee. I am your host:
With robbers' hands my hospitable favours
You should not ruffle thus. What will you do?

40

CORN. Come, Sir, what letters had you late from France?
REG. Be simple-answer'd, for we know the truth.
CORN. And what confederacy have you with the traitors
Late footed in the Kingdom?

REG. To whose hands have you sent the lunatic King?
Speak.

GLOU. I have a letter guessingly set down,

ACT III
Sc. VII

Which came from one that 's of a neutral heart, 12

And not from one oppos'd.

CORN.

Cunning.

REG.

CORN. Where hast thou sent the King?
GLOU.

REG. Wherefore to Dover? Wast thou not charg'd at

peril

CORN. Wherefore to Dover?

Let him answer that.

GLOU. I am tied to the stake, and I must stand the

course.

REG. Wherefore to Dover?

GLOU. Because I would not see thy cruel nails

Pluck out his poor old eyes; nor thy fierce sister
In his anointed flesh stick boarish fangs.

The Sea, with such a storm as his bare head

In hell-black night endur'd, would have buoy'd up,

And quench'd the stelled fires: yet, poor old Heart, 60
He holp the Heavens to rain.

If wolves had at thy gate howl'd that stern time,
Thou should'st have said Good Porter, turn the key,

All cruels else subscribe:1 but I shall see

The winged vengeance overtake such children.

CORN. See't shalt thou never. Fellows, hold the chair!

Upon these eyes of thine I'll set my foot.

GLOU. He that will think to live till he be old,
Give me some help! O cruel! O you Gods!
REG. One side will mock another; the other too.
CORN. If you see vengeance-

FIRST SERV.

70

Hold your hand, my Lord!

I have serv'd you ever since I was a child;

But better service have I never done you

Than now to bid you hold.

REG.

FIRST SERV. If you did wear

I'ld shake it on this quarrel.

CORN. My Villain!

FIRST SERV. Nay, then, come on, and take the chance of

REG. Give me thy sword. A peasant stand up thus!

[takes a sword, and runs at him

behind.

FIRST SERV. O, I am slain! My Lord, you have one

CORN. Lest it see more, prevent it. Out, vile Jelly!

Where is thy lustre now?

GLOU. All dark and comfortless.

Edmund ?

80

[dies.

Where's my son

Kind Gods, forgive me that, and prosper him!

REG. Go thrust him out at gates, and let him smell

90

His way to Dover. [Exit one with GLOUCESTER.] How

is 't, my Lord? how look you?

CORN. I have receiv'd a hurt: follow me, Lady.
Turn out that eyeless villain; throw this slave
Upon the dunghill. Regan, I bleed apace;
Untimely comes this hurt: give me your arm.

[Exit CORNWALL, led by REGAN.
SEC. SERV. I'll never care what wickedness I do,
If this man come to good.

SEC. SERV. Let's follow the old Earl, and get the

Bedlam

To lead him where he would: his roguish madness
Allows itself to any thing.

THIRD SERV. Go thou: I'll fetch some flax and whites

of eggs

To apply to his bleeding face. Now, Heaven help him!

[exeunt severally.

ACT III

Sc. VII